Lighting fixture



Jan. 30, 1968 C.W.'HUBER, JR 3,356,785

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Feb. 23, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 3o, 196s C,W, HUBER, JR 3,366,785'

LIGHTING FIXTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 23, 1967 INVENTOR. CHAR IEs w. HUBER,JR.

ATTYS.

Jan. 30, 1968 cfw. HUBER, JR

LIGHTING lFIXTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 23, 1967 United StatesPatent O 3,366,785 HGHTNG FIXTURE Charles W. Heber, Jr., Jenkintown,Pa., assigner to Pemco Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Filed Feb. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 617,953 l Claim. (Ci. 240-3)ABSTRACT GF THE DISCLSURE A lighting fixture employing a light sourcewithin a pane assembly of colonial appearance, and a refractorsurrounding the light so-urce between light source and pane assembly forproviding controlled directional illumination from the fixture, wherebyboth colonial appearance and controlled illumination are provided. Thepane assembly is a unitary structure of frusto-pyramidal form, withinwardly-extending projections on each side panel for supporting therefractor therein. The bottomsupported embodiment of the fixture uses asupporting base adapted to slip over a supporting column and a framestructure mounted on the base which provides a colonial framing of theflat translucent side panels and also supports a hinged cover and cupolaof colonial appearance. In the toprn'ounted embodiment, the supportingbase and frame are not used, the pane assembly depending from the topcover and having painted peripheral regions on each side panel thereofsimulating the appearance of a frame.

Background oj the invention Lighting fixtures having a colonialappearance have been popular for some time for purposes such asillumination of drives, walks and patios of private residences and thelike, and, particularly recently, have also become popular for use alongpublic ways and in commercial establishments such as automobile servicestations, restaurant parking areas, etc. The colonial appearance istypified by use of an assembly of translucent side panels in polyhedralarrangement, usually frusto-pyramidal, surrounding the light source andhaving an opaque region along the edges of the side panels. The smallercross-sectional end of the frusto-pyramidal form is generally disposeddownwardly, and a top closure or cover of frusto-pyramidal form isusually employed, with its smaller cross-sectional end disposedupwardly. A cupola atop the cover is also common, as is a peripheralflange or band extending outwardly from the cover and side panelassembly near their juncture.

While such fixtures present a pleasing esthetic appearance, they havebeen characterized in the past by poor and uncontrolled illuminationpatterns which in general are unsuitable, or at least less than optimum,for many purposes. For example, when such a fixture is mounted high overa service station or parking area it may be desirable to concentrate thelight downwardly onto the subjacent terrain. When used for residentialstreet-lighting it may be preferred to concentrate the light toward thevstreet and sidewalk and prevent it from glaring into the windows ofadjacent houses. When used to illuminate private residential grounds itmay be desirable to be able to change the illumination pattern easily,for example normally to concentrate the light on a path or patio and, atother times when the residents are away, to illuminate the house and thegrounds near it so as to discourage intruders. Ease of assembly, ofadjustment and of disassembly for cleaning and maintenance, as well assimplicity and low expense are other desirable features.

Analogous problems and desiderata exist in connection with other similarforms of lighting fixtures in which style requires use around the lightsource of a light-trans- ICC lucent structure which produces a poorillumination pattern.

Accordingly it is an object of the invention to provide a new and usefullighting fixture.

Another object is to provide a new and useful lighting fixture ofcolonial appearance which provides an improved illumination pattern.

A further object is to provide such a lighting fixture which in one formcan be mounted on its bottom or, using substantially the same parts, canreadily be made in a form suitable for mounting by itstop cover.

It is also an object to provide a lighting fixture of colonialappearance having a controlled directional illumination pattern, whichfixture is simple, economical to produce, and easy to assemble,disassemble, clean, maintain and adjust.

Summary of the invention These and other objects of the invention areachieved by the provision of a lighting fixture of colonial type inwhich a light source is surrounded by a translucent outer envelope ofnon-prismatic surface configuration, and in which a prismatic refractoris disposed about the light source between the source and the outerenvelope to provide the desired external illumination pattern, wherebythe desired external appearance is maintained while providing any of avariety of predetermined illumination patterns through selection andadjustment of the refractor.

Pursuant to the invention in a further aspect, the outer translucentenvelope is an integral polyhedral assembly of translucent panes,preferably frusto-pyramidal, having inwardly-extending projections forsupporting the refractor rotatably thereon. In one preferred form of theinvention in which the fixture is bottom mounted, the translucent paneassembly fits within a frame structure and rests on the bottom thereof,the frame structure providing a framing of each of the side panels ofthe frusto-pyrarnidal pane assembly and also supporting a hinged cover.In another preferred embodiment in which the fixture is mounted from itstop or cover, the pane assembly is also provided withoutwardly-extending projections by which it is secured to the undersideof said cover, and the external edge regions of the pane assembly arecoated with a visually-distinctive material, such as black paint, toprovide the appearance of a colonial frame. In these embodiments of theinvention the fixture is readily assemblable and adjustable by hand, andreadily disassemblable by hand for cleaning, adjustment and maintenance.

Brief description of the drawings These and other objects and featuresof the invention will be more readily comprehended from a considerationof the following detailed description, taken together with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a preferred ernbodirnent of theinvention in which the lighting fixture is bottom-mounted;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIGUREl;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along lines-33 of FIGURE2;

i FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 4-,4 ofFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 5 5 of FIGURE2;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary elevational view taken along lines 6 6 ofFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is an exploded perspective view of the lighting fixture ofFIGURE l;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical sectional view of another preferred embodiment ofthe invention in which the fixture is top-mounted;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary View taken along lines 9-9 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken along lines lit-10 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of the translucentpane assembly used in the embodiment of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of a portion of thepanel assembly of FIGURE ll;

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of one of the translucent side panels ofthe pane assembly of FIGURE 11; and

FIGURE 14 is a schematic representation of the various zones ofdiffering refractive characteristics of the refractor shown in FIGURES 2and 8.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring first, by way ofexample only, to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 1-7,FIGURE l illustrates the over-all external appearance of the lightingfixture as arranged for bottom mounting on a hollow supporting column10. Column 10 may be fixed to the terrain in any conventional manner atits lower end. The fixture has a base support structure 12 which restson the upper end of the column 10. As shown particularly clearly inFIGURE 2, the supporting column 10 may be a metal cylinder which titswithin the interior of a lower cylindrical portion 13 of the supportstructure 12 so that the upper surface of the column abuts the lowersurface of an inwardly-extending circular ange 14 interior to` andintegral with the base support structure 12. Three set-screws such as 16are threaded through the cylindrical portion of base support structure12 at 120 intervals to bear against the supporting column 10 and to holdthe lighting fixture in fixed position when the screws are tightened.The portions of the lower part of base support structure 12 throughwhich the set-screws are threaded may be ridged to provide additionalthickness for the threads therein.

The base support structure 12 may be an integral casting, of aluminumfor example, having an upper square supporting ange 18 disposedhorizontally for supporting the remainder of the lighting fixture. Anopening 20 is preferably provided through a portion of the sidewall ofthe base support structure 12 to permit access to interior wiring, theopening 20 normally being closed by a recessed cover 22 secured by ascrew 24.

A metal frame structure 30, which may be painted black, is supported onthe upper surface of supporting ange 18 by means of screws such as 31.As can be seen more clearly in the perspective view at C of FIGURE 7,frame has four similar sides, preferably cast integrally, the framestructure as a whole in this example being substantiallyfrusto-pyramidal in shape with its larger cross-sectional dimensionupward. Each side of the frame structure is trapezoidal in outline andhas a trapezoidal opening therein. Each side also has aninwardly-extending ange 32 along its bottom edge by means of which theframe structure is secured to the supporting flange 18 on the basesupport structure 12. At the center of the top rail 33 of one of thesides of the frame structure there is provided an outwardly-extendingear 34 having an aperture therein to receive a screw 36 used, asdescribed later herein, to hold the top cover closed.

The top rail 38 opposite rail 33 of frame structure 30 is provided witha thickened portion 40 (see FIGURE 2) on which there is mounted a hinge42. More particularly, one hinge plate 46 is secured to frame rail 38 byscrews such as 47 while the other hinge plate 48 is secured by screwssuch as 49 to the underside of a peripheral flange 52 running around theedge of the fixture cover 54.

The cover 54 is also generally frusto-pyraniidal in shape, having itssmaller cross-sectional dimension upwards. Atop the cover 54 there is aremovably mounted cupola 56 of light-opaque material which covers, andforms a directional shield for, a photocell unit 58 contained therein.Thus, as shown particularly clearly in FIGURE 3, the lower end of cupola56 is provided with an outwardly-turned flange 60 having three cut-outs62 in its edge, so that the cupola may be affixed to cover 54, orremoved therefrom, by lining-up the cut-outs 62 with the heads of threescrews 64 in the top of the cover 54. To affix the cupola, the flange 60is positioned beneath the screw heads by rotating the cupola from itsaligned position in either direction and then tightening the screws. Inthis way the cupola may be fixed in any desired orientation.

An opening 68 is provided in the lateral surface of the cupola todetermine the direction from which light from the exterior is permittedto reach the photocell 69 inside the photocell unit 58. The opening 68is normally oriented toward the north, the photocell 69 being connectedto lthe electrical supply line by appropriate wiring (not shown) to turnoff the lighting fixture during the daylight hours while permitting itto come on at night.

The photocell unit 58 may be conventional in form. In this example thephotocell unit includes the photocell 69 itself and a housing 79 withinand to which the photocell is mounted. The entire photocell unit isplugged into a receptacle 71 mounted on the top of cover 54. Receptacle71 may, for example, be a conventional three-prong locking typereceptacle provided with mounting screws such as '74 which extenddownwardly through cover 54 by way of an opening in the top of the coverformed by a circular upturned flange 76. Appropriate locking tabs suchas 77 are secured at one end in corresponding recesses in adownwardly-extending portion of receptacle 71, and each is threadinglyengaged by one of the screws 74. The receptacle 71 can therefore berotated to any desired position and the screws then tightened to urgethe tabs against the undersurface of cover 54 and there hold thereceptacle in xed position. A resilient O-ring 78 may be providedbetween receptacle 71 and tiange '76. The photocell unit is provided onits bottom with suitable means for mounting it in the receptacle andproviding the necessary electrical connections, typically comprising athree-prong locking-type plug arrangement.

Cover 54 also has formed integrally therewith, as by casting, a pair ofdownwardly-extending spaced pedestals S0 and 82 having tapped holes inthe lower surfaces thereof, which are not utilized in the presentembodiment of the invention but, as described later herein, are used inthe top-mounted form of the invention illustrated particularly in FIGURE8.

Returning now to the contents of the lower portion of the fixture, apair of rectangular, generally block-like pedestals 84 and S6 areprovided on the upper surface of supporting flange 18, preferably bycasting them integrally with the base support structure 12. The usualelectrical ballast is mounted on the latter pedestals by appropriatescrews. A supporting strap 92 is screwed at its opposite ends to pads 93on the base supporting liange 18, and extends upward and across the topof the o ballast 90. The light support 94, which may be a lamp socket,is appropriately mounted on strap 92 and the light source 96 is screwedinto it in operating position. The light source 96 may be any electriclamp suitable for the particular application, the effective center ofillumination being indicated at 9d.

Surrounding light source 96 is a translucent pane assembly shownparticularly clearly at E of FIG- URE 7. The translucent pane assemblyis generally frusto-conical and four-sided so as to be similar to thegeneral configuration of frame 30, but is somewhat smaller so that itmay readily be dropped into the interior of frame 36. Plastics arepreferred for the material of the pane assembly, although glass can beused. The pane assembly is open at its top and bottom, in this examplebeing provided with an inwardly-extending llangc 162 at its lower endwhich rests upon the lower flange 32 of frame 30. Each side panel of thepane assembly 10i) has a trapezoidal peripheral 'framelike portion 104,which is the portion which ts against and behind the rails of the frame30. Each side panel has a central portion 166 which is bevelledoutwardly so as to extend into each of the openings provided by frame30. Preferably the pane assembly is of molded translucent plastic exceptfor the peripheral frame-like portions 104 which are painted black ontheir outer sides as indicated by the stippling at B of FIGURE 7. In theembodiment of FIGURE 1 the painted portions of the side panels liebehind the frame 30 which itself is preferably painted black, and henceit is not material whether or not the frame-like portions of the paneassembly are painted; however, the painting of the frame-like portionsof the pane assembly is signicant in the embodiment of FIG- URE 8 to bedescribed later herein. The main central pane portions of the sidepanels are at, and are preferably inely-pitted like ground-glass so asto be translucent but not transparent.

Details of the preferred construction of the translucent pane assembly190 are shown in FIGURES ll-13, which show the pane assembly withexternal projections 108 which are used in the embodiment of FIGURE 8but are cut off when the pane assembly is to be used in the embodimentof FIGURE 2. Each of the side portions of the pane assembly ispreferably molded separately, as represented in FIGURE 13, and providedwith overlapping edge portions which tit together and are secured by asuitable cement as represented at 110 in FIGURE l2. The individual sidepanels may be identical, and are preferably formed by molding in a moldwhich has been previously treated so as to produce a finely-pittedsurface which permits light to pass through it but prevents objectswithin the pane assembly from being readily visible from the exterior.

As can be seen particularly clearly in FIGURES 2 and 7B,inwardly-extending supporting projections 114 are provided near the topof each of the side panels of pane assembly 160, each such projectionbeing centered laterally with respect to its associated side panel.These projections are preferably molded integrally with each of the sidepanels. The inward ends of these projections are formed to engage andsupport a prismatic refractor 113 of generally frusto-conical form whichis mounted within the pane assembly 160 with its smaller crosssectionalend downward and its conical axis passing through the axis of the lightsource 96 so as to surround the light source in symmetrical fashion. Inthe present example the refractor 118 is provided near its top with aperipheral groove 122 into which the inward ends of each of theprojections 114 extend. In the embodiment shown, each of the projectionsis provided at its inward end with a shoulder region 126 which engages,supports and centers the refractor 118. The refractor is locatedV sothat the center of illumination 98 of lamp 96 is located to coincidewith the design light center of the refractor.

The refractor 118 may be of any of a variety of known forms having theproperty of producing the desired directional pattern for the lightpassing through it from light source 95. The choice of the pattern oflight distribution designed into the refractor depends upon theparticular application and the purpose to be served by the lightingfixture. In the present example the refractor is of a plastic material,such as a polycarbonate or acrylic, although glass can be used. Itsouter surface has different vertically-spaced prismatic regions and itsinner surface has different prismatic regions angularly-spaced about theaxis of the refractor, as represented schematically in FIGURE 14. In thelatter igure the regions indicated by the same letter have the samerefractive properties. For example, where the lighting fixture is usedfor street illumination the upper side of FIGURE 14 may represent theside on which a house is located and the lower side may be the streetside. In this case the refracting Zones may be so chosen and positionedas to provide the desired illumination pattern for illuminating thestreet while preventing strong illumination or glare toward the windowsof the house. Such refractors and their design and use being well knownin themselves, they will not be described in detail herein.

There are various ways to assemble the apparatus described above, one ofwhich is as follows. The ballast 96 is screwed to the supportingpedestals S4 and 86, the strap 92 is screwed to the supporting flange18, and the frame structure 3) is yscrewed to the supporting ange 18.The base support structure is slipped over the supporting column 1@ andthe set-screws 16 tightened. The electrical wiring for the fixture maybe connected to the supply wiring by working through opening 20 and thecover Z2, after which the screw Z4 is tightened to clamp the coverclosed. The light source 95 may then be screwed into its socket 94 withthe top or cover 54 open. The translucent pane assembly may then belowered inside frame Si) to seat in its proper position therein, afterwhich the refractor 118 is lowered into position to be engaged andsupported by the projections 114. The refractor may then be rotated byhand to provide the desired orientation of illumination pattern. Thecover 54 may then be closed and the screw 36 tightened to secure thecover in its closed position. With the cupola S6 and photocell unit 58removed, the screws 74 are loosened and the locking-type receptacle 71turned to the position for which the photocell will be oriented towardthe north, and the screws retightened. 'Ihe photocell unit 58 is thenplugged in, cupola 56 placed in position and turned until the opening 68therein is also oriented toward the north, after which thecupola-clamping screws 64 are tightened.

To replace the light source, the top cover 54 need merely be opened, theold lamp removed, a new one inserted and the cover 'reclosed. To cleanthe fixture, the cover may be opened, the refractor and translucent paneassembly removed and taken to a place convenient for cleaning, cleanedand replaced. As pointed out above, the refractor can also be readilyrotated in position to rotate the pattern of illumination for anydesired purpose.

In this way there is provided a lighting fixture of colonial appearancewhich nevertheless provides controlled directional illuminatingcharacteristics, which is relatively simple to make and use, and whichcan readily be disassembled for cleaning or replacement purposes.

FIGURES 8, 9 and 10 illustrate an embodiment of the invention in whichthe lighting fixture is top-supported and yet may utilize only partswhich are also utilized in the ybottom-mounted form of fixturepreviously described, except perhaps for the lamp socket which may insome cases be slightly different to provide the same center ofillumination by the lamp. Accordingly elements of vthe embodiment ofFIGURE 8 corresponding to those of the embodiment of FIGURE 2 areindicated by the same numeral with the suix A.

In this case the cover 54A may be bolted at one of its side surfaces toa flange 200 on a metal supporting arm 202, which may be tubular or arod of rectangular cross-section for example. Arm 202 in turn may, forexample, -be fastened to a vertical supporting pole (not shown) aiixedto the ground, or provided with a mounting plate at its opposite end forwall mounting, thereby to provide an overhanging position for thefixture. The cover 54A, cupola 56A and the arrangement for mounting andutilizing the photocell unit 58A may all be the same as in theembodiment of FIGURE 2. In this case, however, the pedestals 86A and 82Aare utilized to mount the electrical ballast 90A, and the strap 92A isscrewed to the undersurface of the top of the cover. The lamp socket 94Ais mounted on the lower end of strap 92A and the light source 96A isscrewed into the socket 94A in an upside-down position so that itscenter of illumination 98A occupies substantially the same position withrespect to the refractor 118A as in the previously-described embodiment.

In this example the frame structure 30 and lthe base support structure12 are not utilized. instead the translucent pane assembly 100A ismounted from the cover 54A by means of outwardly-extending projectionsor tabs 108 molded integrally with each of the side panels, as shownparticularly clearly in FIGURES 9, 10, l1 and 13. The latter tabs areformed directly opposite the inwardly-extending projections 114A whichsupport the refractor 118A in a manner previously described. Moreparticularly, the translucent pane assembly 166A is secured by means offour screws 212, one on each side of the assembly, Which are screwedinto threaded recesses 214 provided in the llange 52A of the top cover.The above-mentioned projections 163 are thereby clamped to the top cover54A to support the pane assembly and refractor. To clean the iXture, thescrews 212 are removed and pane assembly 100A and retractor 118A droppedaway from the top cover. The lamp can be removed through the opening inthe bottom of the tixture. 1f diffusing of the downward illumination isdesired, a suitable removable ditusing plate can be inserted through thebottom of the Xture to lie against the inner surface ofinwardly-extending ange 162A of the pane assembly ltA.

The painted peripheral frame-like portions of each of the side panels ofthe pane assembly 160A are no longer shielded `by the frame as in theprevious embodiment, but because of their coating with black paintsimulate the appearance of the black frame customarily used in colonialtype xtures, thereby preserving the over-all colonial appearance.

It is pointed out that the same translucent pane assembly which isutilized in the embodiment of FIGURE 8 may be utilized in the embodimentof FIGURE 2 merely by cutting olf the outwardly-extending projections168. Accordingly, in production only a single type of pane assembly needbe made, namely that which has both inwardly and outwardly extendingprojections and has the black-painted frame-like peripheral regionaround the side panel; in the case of the embodiment of FIG- URE l theouter projections are not utilized and the black-painted region iscovered by the frame and hence is not significant; in the embodiment ofFIGURE 8, both the inwardly and outwardly extending projections areutilized and the lblacl -painted regions supply the colonial appearanceof a black frame.

Accordingly there has been provided a lighting fixture having a colonialappearance which nevertheless, because of the use of a refractor insidethe pane assembly, can provide the desired directional illuminatingcharacteristics. The novel integral pane assembly constitutes a rigid,strong, easy to make, easily inserted and removed assembly whichprovides simple adjustable support for the refractor and is useable withonly minor modification for either a bottom-mounted or topmountedlighting xture. The arrangement of the other parts is such as to permitymany identical parts to be utilized in either bottom-mounted ortop-mounted embodiments thereof.

1t will be appreciated that the exact shape and coniiguration of thepane assembly, and of the surrounding frame when utilized, may bediterent from that shown, especially with respect to the numbers of sidepanels which may be greater or less than the number shown, althoughusually the cross-section of the device of the pane assembly will be aregular polygon with identical side panels.

While the invention has been described with reference to specilicembodiments thereof in the interest of complete definiteness, it will beunderstood that it may be embodied in any of a variety of other formswithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as dened bythe appended claim.

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting fixture of generally colonial appearance and directionalillumination characteristics, comprising:

a light source;

an integral polyhedral assembly of substantially flat panel members eachhaving a central quadralateral translucent region and a peripheralborder having an appearance differing from that of said translucentregion, said panel members being disposed symmetrically about said lightsource;

a refractor of circular cross-section surrounding said light sourcesymmetrically and disposed between said light source and saidtranslucent regions for imposing a predetermined directional pattern onthe light from said source, said refractor being supported on saidpolyhedral assembly;

a polyhedral cover over said assembly of panels;

a frame structure having a vbottom surface on which said assembly restsand comprising peripheral rail members framing each of said panelmembers;

hinge means for mounting said cover on said frame structure, said coverbeing pivotable on said hinge member to permit removal of said assemblyand said refractor from said frame structure;

said assembly and said frame structure being frustopyramidal in formwith their smaller cross sectional ends disposed downwardly and saidcover being frusto-pyramidal with its larger cross-sectional enddisposed downwardly, said assembly comprising integralinwardly-extending projections for supporting said refractor; and

a cupola mounted atop said cover containing a photocell unit forcontrolling the supply of electrical current to said light source.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 435,795 9/1890 Butler 240--251,954,167 4/1934 Crossley 24U- 25 2,166,393 7/1939 Crossley 240-l.22,489,076 11/ 1949 Bjontegard 24025 3,086,106 4/1963 Andrews 240-253,170,635 2/1965 Curtin 24U-11.2

FOREIGN PATENTS 5,559 1883 Great Britain. 231,158 3/ 1925 Great Britain.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

M. H. HAYES, Assistant Examiner.

